Hot Rods Remote batterys

I am going to put a battery in the trunk of my 47 Ford Sedan. The engine bulkhead mounted battery looks like yuck!
How did you run your cables? Inside on the floor or under along the frame?
Any tricks you can share? Thanks

 

If you post some pictures of under the hood, we might be able to help you figure out how to make the battery look better, without resorting to moving it to the trunk. I never understood why anyone would want to do that.

 

I have always mounted the battery in the trunk and ran the cables down the frame rails. HRP

 

My '47 Ford coupe has the Optima battery in a box on the p***enger side of the trunk. Cables p*** thru grommets, then under the floor,clamped to the inside of the frame rails every foot or so.
Clean 'n tidy. Always starts great.
No sparks, no drama, no smoke and flames

 

always ran outside of car , they get hot when cranking and not to fond of fire ..

 

battery in trunk, thick grommets through floor, cable run down frame rail... secured every foot with insulated clamps...

and I get my cable at the local welding supply (1/0 welding cable, 'bout $1.50/ft last time I bought it)

 

Just make sure to use heavy gauge, preferably copper, cables and route/clamp them well. My battery on my 54 Chevy is in the trunk and I have no problems. I generally don't like to see them in the engine compartment

 

My buddy complained about the green battery in the engine compartment. I said I paint mine semi gloss black and it disappears. I wanted to use one of those reproduction car batteries for the restorers until I saw the price. We had a lot of trouble in the 60s until we figured it out so I have a bad taste in my mouth for batteries in the trunk unless it is a 60s g***er done for traction. The battery is a required part for the operation of the car so I don't hide it. We didn't in the 60s.

 

I have my battery in the trunk of my 48 Coupe. I have it mounted over the hump for the rear axle. I punched two holes in the floor and installed electrical water tight bulkhead fittings for cable. . Ran Red and Black No. I AWG welding cable along the inside of the p***enger side frame rail up to the area of the starter ( small block chevy ). I added a small panel on the lower part of the firewall and installed a removable key type cut out switch in the hot side , and installed the ground on the engine block, with a heavy ground to the frame and another to the body . I use the red Optima battery and have had no issues in 5 years. Make sure there are no exposed wires or battery terminals. If you use the Optima battery you can get a plastic cover to totally enclose the terminals. Cab send pictures if needed.

 

I mount mine in the trunk on the p***enger side with rubber grommets & clamped to the inside frame rail like the previous posters have done also. Welding lead & copper lugs soldered in place & covered with shrink tube. looks good works fine. You have some big front fenders why not put an optima under the fender? I also mount the battery in one of those plastic battery boxes. It is a short run to ground on the frame rail & not too far to the hidden disconnect switch.

 

i don't put my battery or gas tank in the trunk except on race cars---it makes my dates smell funny when we go to the Drive In...

 

I mounted mine over the wheelhouse inside the rocker, inside the kick panel and then through the
firewall to the starter solenoid. I used that spiraled hydraulic cylinder wrap for extra protection.
I always thought it was kinda mickey mouse running it outside where it could chaffed or exposed to some other flying object.

 

You asked for a picture of the "47 here it is.. I spent a lot of time welding up the holes in firewall so I want to keep it clean. Looks like 1/0 wire from the trunk to a charging block, to the starter. Another for the ground to the engine and body/frame.

 

Maybe you didn't but we all did it in the 60's in my area. Hides it and if done right no problems.

 

Like 48FordFanatic says run a ground along the frame rail up to the bellhousing from the battery, not just to the frame in the rear of the car, otherwise you are expecting 67 year old metal to be a good conductor. Trust me, it's not. Don't forget clean metal and star washers at all connections.

 

I have made two 38 Chevys and placed my battery under the RH fender. Thousands of miles with no problems.

 

Go to the local U-pull and get the battery cables from a BMW E36 , they have a trunk mounted battery and heavy cable [ also a neat little junction box to jump start from ]

 

............That's interesting. Never heard of this. Thanks for the info.

 

Just remembered my Son has an HHR and the battery is in the back and it has a remote junction box too !

 

..................More good info, and it might even be easier to find one of these in the salvage yard.

 

My 2 cents'......... If you are putting a battery in the trunk , take the time to add a ignition kill switch .it will save your battery if the car sits for awhile between uses.also a good deterrent for thieves when out of town.

 

Run the power cable under the car, inside the frame. Use grommets where it p***es thru the floor, and be sure it us well supported and CANNOT wear thru or short out, or come loose no matter what. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS, you do NOT want the battery shorting out.

All you need is one cable to the starter, and a ground strap to the frame. You can take power off the starter end of the cable to power the car fuse box, and ground the body and engine to the frame.